Electric iron



p 28, 1965 R. o. ROBISON 3,208,427

ELECTRIC IRON Filed May 24. 1963 G FABRIC H FABRIC I FABRIC J FABRIC WITNESSES INVENTOR Wu JFW/WZJZ Russell 0. Robison 6 M AM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,208,427 ELECTRIC IRON Russell 0. Robison, Plymouth, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 283,060 6 Claims. (Cl. 116-135) This invention relates to electric irons and more particularly to electric irons which have a plurality of temperature settings.

Recently the chore of ironing has been complicated by the introduction on the market of many new synthetic fabrics. Most of these fabrics require ironing within a narrow temperature range, a temperature in excess of which will ruin the fabric. To further complicate the situation, many fabrics having the same ironing characteristics are manufactured under a variety of trade names.

It should be obvious, therefore, that to memorize the temperature settings for the various fabrics encountered in ironing would prove an insurmountable task for most housewives.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anelectric iron which facilitates selection of correct ironing temperatures for a plurality of different fabrics requiring differing temperature settings.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric iron having a temperature guide which is simple to use and easy to manufacture.

These objects of the invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing a slidable member enclosed adjacent the body of the iron and beneath a portion of the handle. The slidable member has inscribed thereon a plurality of fabric names which may be encountered in ironing. These fabric names, in turn, are referenced to indicia on the temperature control means of the iron.

To employ the guide, the user need only slide the member from a position beneath the handle to a position in easy view of the user. The fabric to be ironed is then referred to and the temperature control means set at the proper indicia for safely ironing the fabric.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an electric iron having the invention employed therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the electric iron, showing the invention on a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 2 having a portion of the structure removed for clarity and showing the invention in operation;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2 showing details of the invention on a larger scale; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3 showing additional details of the invention on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an electric iron having a body structure 11 and a handle member 12. The handle member 12 comprises a saddle portion 13 disposed adjacent the body structure 11, and a grip portion 14 extending over the saddle portion. A temperature control means lever 16 and a semicircular dial including a manually-adjustable or indicia plate 17 is disposed on one end of the handle 12 for adjusting the temperature of the iron 10 by any well known thermostatic means (not shown). A plurality of indicia designated by the numerals 18, 19 and 21 are inscribed on the surface of the dial 17, and the lever 16 is movable to a position adjacent each indicium to set the thermostat at a plurality of corresponding temperatures.

3,208,427 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 It should here be noted that there are many thermostatic devices known in the art which may be employed to maintain the temperature and output of steam, if steam is used, in the electric iron. However, as the present invention is not concerned with the thermostat per se, but primarily the temperature-selecting means, the thermostat has not been shown.

As best shown in FIG. 1, an escutcheon plate 22 is disposed adjacent the saddle 13 and beneath the grip or hand portion 14. A recess is provided on the escutcheon plate 22 for receiving a cover plate 23 which may be cemented to the escutcheon plate, or fastened by any other suitable means. The cover plate 23, although shown unembellished, may be employed as identification plate, and if so employed would contain the manufacturers name, trademark, or other suitable ornamentation.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 through 5, it will be noted that the escutcheon plate 22 is retained adjacent the saddle 13 by the engagement of an L-shaped clip 24 and a spring clip 26 through openings 27 and 28 respectively, thereby forming the enclosure 29. The escutcheon plate 22 has a plurality of tabs stamped therefrom, which extend downwardly into the enclosure 29 forming the angle supports designated by the numeral 31.

In FIG. 5 it will be noted that the escutcheon plate 22, j

in its currently preferred form, is provided with a downwardly-directed circumferential flange having a slotted opening 32 aligned with the angle supports 31 to provide an opening into the enclosure 29. A slidable member in the form of a plate 33 is received through the slotted opening 32 and supported on the angle supports 31 when disposed in the enclosure 29. The slidable plate 33 has inscribed thereon a plurality of fabric names which are listed under correlating indicia 34, 36 and 37. A grip member 34 of greater width than the plate 33 is disposed at one end of the plate, and a flange portion 38 is disposed at the opposite end for retaining the plate in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 by contacting the tab 39 of the escutcheon plate 22. v

When the slidable plate 33 is moved into the enclosure 29 to the position shown in FIG. 2, the flange portion 38 contacts a detent 40 on plate 22 providing an interference fit to retain the plate in the enclosure.

While in the embodiment shown, the plate 33 is retained in the enclosure by engagement of the flange 38 with the tab 39, it should be obvious that the tab could be eliminated from the structure, if so desired, thereby permitting the user to remove the plate from the enclosure for closer observation.

During the ironing process, and while the iron is being stored, the slidable plate 33 remains in the enclosure 29 with the grip 34 disposed adjacent the escutcheon plate 22. In this position, the slidable plate 33 is stored in an area of the iron 10 which is partially hidden by the extending handle portion 14 from the view of the user. However, when a different fabric to be ironed is encountered by the user, the proper temperature setting for the fabric is determined in the following manner.

Grasping the grip 34, and sliding the plate 33 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the plate is moved from a concealed position beneath the handle portion 14 to a position viewable by the user. The name of the fabric to be ironed is found on the plate 33 and the correlating indicia 34, 36 or 37 noted. The temperature-selecting lever 16 is then moved to a position adjacent the indicia 18, 19 or 21 corresponding to the indicia 34, 36 or 37 noted on the plate 33 for setting the thermostat at the proper temperature for the fabric. The plate 33 may then be returned into the enclosure 29 where it is stored out of direct contact with dirt and foreign objects which may erode or mar the information on the plate.

From the foregoing description it should be evident that the invention provides an electric iron which facilitates ironing a plurality of fabrics requiring various temperature settings, by the use of a temperature guide which is simple to use and easy to manufacture. Further, the temperature guide does not require additional space on the iron as it is stored in a position which is readily available on the iron for this purpose.

It will be obvious that extra blank space may be provided on the plate 33 for the use to write in new fabric names which may appear on the market subsequent to purchase of the iron.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric iron comprising: a body structure,

an enclosure mounted upon said body structure and including means defining a slotted opening therein for access to said enclosure,

21 slidable member received in said enclosure through said slotted opening, said slidable member having the names of fabrics and correlated temperature indicia presented thereon, and

control means carried on said iron for adjusting the temperature of said iron by moving said control means to positions corresponding to said correlating indicia presented thereon,

said slidable member being movable through said slotted opening from a sheltered position in said enclosure to a position in view of the user for rapid correlation between a fabric name on said slidable member and said correlated temperature indicia on said control means.

2. An electric iron comprising: a body structure,

a handle member having a saddle portion extending over and secured to said body structure,

means defining an enclosure in association with said saddle portion, and including means defining a slotted opening therein for access to said enclosure,

a slidable member received in said enclosure through said slotted opening,

said slidable member having names of fabrics and information concerning the iron thereof presented thereon,

said slotted opening being disposed in relation to said handle portion such that movement of said slidable member from said enclosure causes said member to be moved from beneath said handle, whereby a portion of said member is viewable by the user while said member is partially retained in said enclosure.

3. An electric iron comprising: a body structure,

a handle member having a saddle portion carried upon said body structure,

said handle member including a grip portion extending over said saddle portion,

means on said saddle portion defining an enclosure underlying said handle portion, said enclosure including means defining a slotted opening therein for access to said enclosure,

a slidable plate received in said enclosure through said slotted opening,

said slidable plate having the names of fabrics and correlating indicia presented thereon,

control means carried on said iron for adjusting the temperature of said iron by moving said control means to positions corresponding to said correlating indicia presented thereon,

said slotted opening being disposed in relation to said grip portion such that said slidable plate is movable from a position beneath said grip portion while in said enclosure to a position viewable by the user, whereby rapid correlation between a fabric name on said slidable plate and a setting on said control means is achieved while said plate is partially retained in said enclosure.

4. An electric iron comprising: a body structure,

a handle member including a saddle portion upon said body structure,

a grip portion of said handle member extending over said saddle portion,

a stationary plate disposed on said saddle portion beneath said grip portion,

means mounting said plate in spaced relation to said saddle portion to define an enclosure,

said plate further including means defining a slotted opening therein for access to said enclosure,

a slidable plate received in said enclosure through said slotted opening,

said slidable plate having the names of fabrics and correlating indicia presented thereon, and

control means carried by said iron for adjusting the temperature of said iron by moving said control means to positions corresponding to said correlating indicia presented thereon,

said slotted opening being disposed in relation to said grip portion such that said slidable plate is movable from a sheltered position beneath said grip portion while in said enclosure to a position viewable by the user, whereby rapid correlation between a fabric name on said slidable plate and a setting on said control means is achieved while said plate is partially retained in said enclosure.

5. An electric iron as specified in claim 4 wherein:

said stationary plate includes underlying spaced tabs aligned with the side edges of said slidable plate to provide track means therefor.

6. An electric iron as specified in claim 4 including:

upstanding flange means at the inboard end of said slidable plate; and

detent means projecting downwardly from said stationary plate for alternate engagement with said upstanding flange means when said slidable plate is in said sheltered position and alternately in said viewable position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,235,723 3/41 Myers 116133 X 2,582,024 1/52 Finlayson 21925 FOREIGN PATENTS 591,079 8/47 Great Britain.

LOUIS I. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner, 

1. AN ELECTRIC IRON COMPRISING: A BODY STRUCTURE, AN ENCLOSURE MOUNTED UPON SAID BODY STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING A SLOTTED OPENING THEREIN FOR ACCESS TO SAID ENCLOSURE, A SLIDABLE MEMBER RECEIVED IN SAID ENCLOSURE THROUGH SAID SLOTTED OPENING, SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER HAVING THE NAMES OF FABRICS AND CORRELATED TEMPERATURE INDICIA PRESENTED THEREON, AND CONTROL MEANS CARRIED ON SAID IRON FOR ADJUSTING THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID IRON BY MOVING SAID CONTROL MEANS TO POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO SAID CORRELATING INDICIA PRESENTED THEREON, SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE THROUGH SAID SLOTTED OPENING FROM A SHELTERED POSITION IN SAID ENCLOSURE TO A POSITION IN VIEW OF THE USER FOR RAPID CORRELATION BETWEEN A FABRIC NAME ON SAID SLIDABLE MEMBER AND SAID CORRELATED TEMPERATUE INDICIA ON SAID CONTROL MEANS. 